Hou Sai Tang
Hou Sai Tang is the current elected head of the New People's China Party and Grand Secretary of the New People's China government body. His career in the service of the Communist Party and later on the New People's China Party spans as far back as 1950 when he became involved in Communist affairs and 1955 when he ended up leading his own commune in the Chinese South-East. He is commonly revered as the most powerful man in China, and whose policies have seen a national turn-around after the Chinese Civil War. Hou's Early Life is not marked with long military service during the turbulant period that was the Civil War like several other powerful members of the Chinese government. His background was predominately working-class turned academic. Early Life Born on June 21st, 1910 Hou was born to a fisherman - Hou Tang Jiang - in Tianjin. His mother - Odtsetseg Palov - was a Russian refugee who fled to China to evade persecution in Russia due to her liberal beliefs. Hou grew up with six other siblings (brothers: Hou Bo, Hou Han, hou Fa, Hou Nuan, and Hou Tsun. Sister: Hou Xiu Ya). Growing up, Hou's was predominately educated by his mother who taught him to read, write, and speak Russia. In addition to reading and writing Mandarin from her and his father. By thirteen Hou was out working a manner of odd jobs to help support his family. Up to his adult life his work ranged from an apprentenice watch maker to helping his father. Young Adult Life By the time the Japanese invaded his home land in 1935 Hou - then twenty five - fled Tianjin with several of his family. He then began a career working odd jobs in factories and in fields, saving his money. As his career progressed and his travels brought him to wider areas - ranging from Gansu to Shanghai to the KMT south - Hou felt he could be a benefit to the people of China. With the money he had saved up during his tour around the country he enrolled into the University of Hong Kong to study law in 1946, then 36. Educational Career Between threats from the war and studying, Hou was eventually introduced to Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto and Sun Yet-Sen's writing, introducing him to the life and stylings of Communism and a free, modern China. Though repressed by the KMT regieme Hou managed to enroll into the Free China Society in the university where he met Wen Chu, a fellow associate and future close friend. Though happy to be in the background, Hou often found himself the center of discussion and debate as he recounted his experiences as the insistance of Wen Chu. When the Society's chairman was slain, caught distributing propoganda Hou was rapidly elected new chair of the Free China Society which he lead until and after his graduation in 1953. Early Communist Career Hou continued to serve as the leading chair of the Free China Society with Wen Chu. Hou became embroiled in the movement and often opened himself up about it to his family during multiple visits to Tianjin to see his family. Though initially cautious, the rest began to ease to the idea, though his father remained anxious. His prosletyzing helped spark energy in his eldest brother Tsun who also became active in local Communist societies. Tsun's death at the hands of Japanese soldiers on the steps of the Japanese provincial government headquarters sparked a fire in Hou that lead to more aggressive action and growth, ultiamtely siezing Hong Kong from the KMT which lead to the Communist takeover of Macau shortly after. Hou's commune lasted several months and was ultimately assaulted on March 6, 1956 and reclaimed by the KMT. Though, the night before the attack Hou and Wen Chu managed to sieze every vessle that could float, and loading the boats as much as they could slipped off into the night and north along the coast, where they unloaded outside of Shantou, thus marking the Evacuation of Hong Kong, or the March of Hong Kong. March of Hong Kong The March of Hong Kong was a large scale evacuation of the Hong Kong and Macau commune as commanded by Wen Chu and Hou Sai Tang. The move demanded that the population take what they could carry and leave the city by sea. A large number of volunteer soldiers opted to stay behind and cover the retreat in the last battle for Hong Kong and Macau. Once outside the city, the march divided itself into three sections and set forth to Chengdu and Chongqing. The grueling march claimed just under half of the original members who had set off. Either to the elements of the KMT forces pursuing the refugees. The march was declared finished once the last man had crossed over into Communist controlled Chengdu or Chongqing. Communist Party of China Upon arriving to the west the harrowing journey of Hou was met with great applause and relief for their efforts. Hou and Wen Chu secured ranking seats in the CPC hierarchy. From this position the essays of Hou and Wen Chu could be criticized and discussed in a friendlier atmosphere. These early days allowed for the early growth of Hou's future manifesto with many of his essays being co-written by Mang Zhu, Wen Xiogang, Mao Tsedung and Commander Lou Shai Dek. Wen Chu's charisma also put him into prominent positions with him pulling Hou Sai Tang up to the top with him. When Wen Chu was eventually slain in the north by the Japanese, it put Hou in a position of prominence and power. Death of Wen Chu Wen Chu's death hit Hou Sai Tang hard, who was at that time following Lou Shai Dek in the south in a campaign against the KMT and to help reinforce rising Communist Communes in the region. Their campaign had been ground to a halt outside of Luding where a long rival of Lou Shai Dek, Chen Ming-Hoa forced the Communist Volunteer Army into a stalemate across the Luding Bridge. On recieving word of Chu's death on January 28, 1956, Hou ordered a retreat and to head for Beijing. Though not to simply do this, the CPC Army destroyed the bridge as Ming-Hoa crossed at the insistence of Gou Wihnouk. The action killing the Field Marshall, demoralizing a large part of the KMT army, and leading to a large portion of his army slain. The resulting and buffed Norther Campaign under Hou would see strong and aggresive action on the Japanese and the KMT in the south quarreled and reeled, with its leftist, liberal wing secceding from the KMT and defecting to the CPC in response. Other Military Endeavors Towards the end of the Chinese Civil War, Hou Sai Tang was personally present at the Siege of the Forbidden City. With much of Beijing defecting on their Imperial masters the CPC army had an easy time trapping Aisin-Guro Puyi and his council in the Forbidden City where they forced the Emperor and his Japanese advisors, eunuchs, and loyalists within the compound. The long siege forced the Emperor to surrender, and bargaining personally with Hou agreed to surrender and was taken prisoner by the Communist Forces Zero'ith Congress After the surrender of the Manchurian Emperor and the head of the Qing Dynasty emprisoned Hou Sai Tang issued an ultimatum to the weakened KMT requesting their recognition of CPC authority in China. With Chiang Kai Shek dead, much of the Kumintang was too disorganized to fight, and agreed to see Hou and the CPC in what is known as the Zero'ith Congress. Here, the KMT discussed with the communists a set of formal laws and drafted a official constitution that granted those present, and their faction amnisty within China as well as absorbtion into the CPC party. This act changing the face of the party, resulting in its renaming: The New People's China Party Chairman and Grand Secretary Formally reelected during the First National Unity Congress and by popular vote Hou Sai Tang faced a rough early political career. The war had struck a toll on the Chinese infrastructure, population, and agriculture. With millions dead or missing Hou had to wrangle with ansewring questions, wrangling with dissenting KMT factions (The New/Second KMT), mass famine, and an epidemic in the north. Distributing power to Mang Xhu and Mao Tsedung with the newly created and Politburo approved positions of Minister of Agriulture and People's Affairs and Minister of Infrastructure and Industry he set the two men out to repair the nation. His formal decleration of the military branches of the New People's China's Liberation Army would see to the organized combatting of the KMT dissent as well as a solidification of their new authority and ability to properly police the weakened nation. Entering debate with Congress Hou managed to see through a number of economic reforms and recovery acts to get China on a path to recovery. Recruiting university professionals he tasked them to helping their respective ministers to organizing and practicing advances in their fields, beginning a tradition of friendliness with the University and Academic population of China that would continue on through his reign. By 1970 with the nation in the final stages of recovery and being able to hold itself Hou recognized the need to reacquire its legal territories and authorized invasion of Tibet and Taiwan with the following of Congress. Hou's reign has become that of increased Chinese influence and power as well as its dramatic and return from decimation. Personality Cult Hou's success has given him a large amount of followers who rever him as something of a restorer of China and its protector. Though large and popular Hou has continually dismissed prospects of a Personality Cult and has often denied requests for large scale popularization campaigns. Going so far as to rarely suggest his portrait to be hung at Tianamen Square. More often requesting Wen Chu or his brother Tsun to be hung, as well as any number of relevant figured for that time of year. Criticisms Though despite his popularity Hou is most often criticized for being too soft on the Japanese. The suggestion, drafting, and signing of the Tokyo Treaty is often looked upon as being a unwarrented decleration and a disproportionate agreement to what the Empire of Japan has done to China. Critics often accuse Hou of not pushing to force Japan to publically apologise for each atrocity and to make payments for them. Hou has returned these criticisms with advocation that it wasn't neccesary and it will come in its own due time. Stroke On Febuary 4, 1980 while meeting with the Secretary of the National Congress - Xiogang Wen - Hou suffered a stroke in his office, collapsing after hearing word from Daen Hong about the coup in America. The chairman was rushed to the Beijing hospital where he underwent surgery. The chairman's health was released to the public on the insistance of Minister Zhang Auyi. Currently, Hou Sai Tai is on medical leave at his old private home in Tianjin. On return to the public sphere in the middle of that month the Chairman announced he was to resign his post as Grand Secretary, opening the office for election. Category:Characters Category:Communism Category:Asia Category:Second Great War